Aquilini in talks to purchase NBA Indiana Pacers for Vancouver

mr.x · #1 Posted **May 13, 2009, 8:28 PM**

Seems like every year or so, there's talk about the NBA coming back...

http://www.team1040.ca/news/story/?id=2031

Quote:

May. 13, 2009

Rumors are running rampant in Indiana that Francesco Aquilini, owner of the Vancouver Canucks, is reportedly expressing interest in purchasing the Indiana Pacers and moving the team to Vancouver, B.C.

Pacers co-owner Herb Simon are working as hard as they can to work out a new arena deal with the Indianapolis Capital Improvement Board and says he doesn’t want to see Indy without an NBA team. Simon could be using Aquilini as leverage against the Indianapolis Capital Improvement Board.

But former Sonics owner Howard Schultz also used Clay Bennett as leverage against the Washington State Legislature. And now the Sonics no longer exist.

Vancouver may be a good spot for an NBA team to land. The city has been without a team since the Grizzlies left for Memphis after the 2000-01 season, but GM Place capable of housing an NBA franchise with very little extra work.

I'm against it. Not that I'm against the NBA returning, but with the Whitecaps moving into MLS in two years the Vancouver market isn't big enough for CFL, NHL, MLS, and now the NBA.

I'd say lets consider it again in maybe 10-15-years, but the Vancouver market is currently too small for four major franchises. The NBA, especially, requires much more money to run than a NHL franchise. I don't want the NBA to return to this city, only to have it fail again...only when the time is right.

DKaz · #2 Posted **May 13, 2009, 8:33 PM**

A failure waiting to happen, but if Aquilini has deep pockets then why not?

mrjauk · #3 Posted **May 13, 2009, 8:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr.x

Seems like every year or so, there's talk about the NBA coming back...

http://www.team1040.ca/news/story/?id=2031

I'm against it. Not that I'm against the NBA returning, but with the Whitecaps moving into MLS in two years the Vancouver market isn't big enough for CFL, NHL, MLS, and now the NBA.

I'd say lets consider it again in maybe 10-15-years, but the Vancouver market is currently too small for four major franchises. The NBA, especially, requires much more money to run than a NHL franchise. I don't want the NBA to return to this city, only to have it fail again...only when the time is right.

As much as I'd like Vancouver to regain an NBA team (or, as the old joke goes, to get its first real NBA team as the Stu Jackson-led group was a disgrace), I'd hate to see the Pacers leave Indianapolis. That would be like the Canadiens leaving Montreal for Houston.

I think that with the size of the Asian community here in Vancouver, an NBA team, if marketed correctly (and if led by even a partially competent general manager) could make a real go of it.

Just sign Yao as a free agent and you'd sell the place out every night.

NetMapel · #4 Posted **May 13, 2009, 8:57 PM**

I actually just heard that on Team 1040 today and I bursted out laughing. It would be nice, but... ehhh... I don't think NBA wants anything to do with Vancouver right now.

Distill3d · #5 Posted **May 13, 2009, 9:05 PM**

Aquilini's got it all wrong here. He'd have more success/support in moving the Canucks to Indianapolis.

twoNeurons · #6 Posted **May 13, 2009, 9:09 PM**

Though you could possibly get the Seattle market.

Yume-sama · #7 Posted **May 13, 2009, 9:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Distill3d

Aquilini's got it all wrong here. He'd have more success/support in moving the Canucks to Indianapolis.

Bettman would certainly play along all too willingly.

phesto · #8 Posted **May 13, 2009, 9:17 PM**

This all stems from an unconfirmed blog post with no source from last Friday:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...pitch-to-simon

Do The Province and Team1040 seriously consider this a credible source? This isn't even news at this point, just an internet rumour.

hollywoodnorth · #9 Posted **May 13, 2009, 9:19 PM**

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/V...489/story.html

I dunno just like Toronto's Success with MLS lead Vancouver to snag a team...........I think the same will happen with the NBA. We got RAPED last time with the Stu Jackson - Big Country Idiot team........that never counted as an NBA team IMO.

if you brought in a .500 or better team here.....Vancouver would jump on board. And if you market to the Asians and out of towners you could fill GM Place night in night out. and the synergies of owning a NHL team AND the arena are clear also from a business stand point.

GO Aquilini Go!

djmk · #10 Posted **May 13, 2009, 9:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr.x

I'm against it. Not that I'm against the NBA returning, but with the Whitecaps moving into MLS in two years the Vancouver market isn't big enough for CFL, NHL, MLS, and now the NBA.

Vancouver is big enough. besides, MLS and CFL play in the summer and NHL and NBA play in the fall and winter. and the Grizz did pretty well here attendance wise compared to other teams in the league considering vancouver was always a loser. if anything, the Giants will suffer.

it was managements fault that the NBA failed here.

plus, now that seattle does not have a team... perhaps we have more Americans coming north.

NetMapel · #11 Posted **May 13, 2009, 9:23 PM**

To be honest, it's a good idea that Francesco Aquilini be the owner of Vancouver's NBA team if it does come back. Yes we all dislike this big fat cat and whatnot, but he's the guy with the deep pocket who has the money to potentially keep the team financially alive here. On top of that, he can probably start branding a Canucks Sports Entertainment thing with all the sports teams under his management.

LeftCoaster · #12 Posted **May 13, 2009, 9:27 PM**

I have little doubt that an even reasonably talented NBA team in Vancouver would be highly successful, I do however doubt it will happen in the foreseeable future. It isn't because of lack of willpower from the Vancouver camp but mainly due to lack of willingness on the NBA to expand into Canada. For some reason American Vs Canadian rivalries have little interest in the US and TV ratings are usually much lower.

NetMapel · #13 Posted **May 13, 2009, 9:52 PM**

Which scenario seems more plausible ?

A) Winnipeg gets a NHL team back
B) Vancouver gets a NBA team back

Hahaha...

raggedy13 · #14 Posted **May 13, 2009, 9:59 PM**

Interesting stuff. I'd be all for the return of an NBA team to Vancouver. I'd agree with the rest of those here who say if we had at least an average-performing team we'd have no problems attendance-wise. We're a bigger metro now too and yes if we could somehow get Yao Ming it would be a very popular team locally! My former roommate from Guangzhou religiously follows the Houston Rockets and he's only been living here for 8 months.

Anywho, this reminds me of an article I read a couple weeks ago and considered posting in the sports section but never got around to it:

Quote:

Vancouver for Memphis was 'NBA's worst-ever trade'

BY GREG DOUGLAS, VANCOUVER SUN
APRIL 25, 2009

SCENE & HEARD: Debbie Butt and Paul Dal Monte did a double-take in the Canucks' executive offices this week when an old friend dropped by to say hello and didn't ask for playoff ticket favours.

"I told them I might be back in June looking for a pair to the Stanley Cup final," Jay Triano joked Friday.

Triano worked with Butt and Dal Monte during the tumultuous days of the NBA Vancouver Grizzlies under the Orca Bay ownership umbrella.

"Players around the league are always telling me that the worst trade ever made in the NBA was Vancouver for Memphis," Triano says. "Mike Bibby and Shareef Abdur-Rahim still rave about Vancouver. The last time we were in Memphis there couldn't have been 3,000 fans in the stands."

That is "we" as in the Toronto Raptors and Triano hopes to know within the next few weeks if his status has been elevated from interim head coach to strictly head coach.

Prior to his short Vancouver visit to see his children - Courtney, Jessie and Dustin - Triano met with Raptors' president and GM Bryan Colangelo.

"There's a board of directors meeting on May 8," the former SFU, national team star and Olympian says. "We'll go from there."

HERE 'N' THERE: Triano was working as the Grizzlies' colour commentator on Team 1040 when TSN offered him a Toronto-based job as part of the network's NBA coverage.

Triano and Lenny Wilkens, head coach of the Raptors in 2000, struck up a strong working relationship and Wilkens took on Triano as an assistant coach over lunch in Seattle during the off-season. Triano became interim head coach last December after serving seven seasons as an assistant.

"I hate the perception that I was hired by the Raptors just because I'm a Canadian," says Triano, who was born in Tillsonburg, Ont. "I said that just once to Bryan [Colangelo] and he really got mad, reminding me that the NBA is big business, end of issue."

SHORT HOPS: Mickey McDowell, proud member of the Canucks alumni who played under Father David Bauer on Canada's 1964 Olympic team, describes Canucks' president and CEO Chris Zimmerman as "a Level Five Leader."

Says McDowell, who travels the inspirational and motivational speakers' circuit: "His kind are quite rare. He is a master at branding the product and Vancouver is lucky to have him."

END ZONE: With News1130 sports director Garry Raible taking early retirement after 38 years in the broadcasting business, Geoff Rohoman will be the station's new morning sports voice beginning May 1. His background includes a stint with the all-sports station The Fan 590 in Toronto.

drsport@telus.net

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun

by Greg Douglas, Vancouver Sun

Distill3d · #15 Posted **May 13, 2009, 9:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by NetMapel

Which scenario seems more plausible ?

A) Winnipeg gets a NHL team back
B) Vancouver gets a NBA team back

Hahaha...

my vote is option A. at least that will happen in our life time.

Distill3d · #16 Posted **May 13, 2009, 10:03 PM**

without a team in Seattle for a few years, NBA just may survive in Vancouver. However, I'd think given the situation with the Sonics leaving to OKC and having to wait a set amount of time (it was 5 years wasn't it?) before Seattle could pursue another NBA franchise, that any team in Vancouver would just move to Seattle after that period was over.

Sad to say, as much as I don't follow basketball, the Pacers are a good and storied franchise. like its been said, it'd be like moving to the Canadiens or the Boston Bruins to Houston.

NetMapel · #17 Posted **May 13, 2009, 10:14 PM**

I agree having a NBA team in Portland, Seattle and Vancouver was overkill. Just Portland and Vancouver would be the perfect fit

Go go Aquilini ! Use that deep pocket of yours and buy till you're content !

Vancity · #18 Posted **May 15, 2009, 10:32 PM**

I was going to post as well, but mr. x beat me to it. I think Metro Van is large enough for four leagues: CFL, NHL, MLS, and NBA. And it's perfect to have two sports leagues running at the same time (NBA, and NHL during the winter months, while CFL and MLS during the summers). There are enough fans here in the lowermainland, that will these four franchises will flourish.

At this point, though, I'm not getting my hopes up too high. I don't think Aquilini is a basketball fan, and that usually spells trouble for a franchise. I'm not even sure of his reason for looking into the Pacers and bringing them up north. If it happens, that's great, I'd be on board with full of support for the team. Someone said moving the Pacers would be like moving the Habs to Houston. Well, Seattle did move to OKC. What a sad sack move that was. Vancouver could do VERY well with an NBA franchise. I've always believed in Vancouver as being an NBA city, and why not? We have such loyal fans that would put up with a team that lost 60+ games almost every year. That's tough to take for any sports fans for their team. If we had any good of a team, this city would go nuts. Please, no more Stu the "I-am-incompetent" GM. What a joke that guy was. Let's get it done! I hope Aquilini does brand his company, and have a number of franchises underneath his company. That'd be awesome.

GO AQUILINI GOOOO! GET THE PACERS, MOVE 'EM HERE!!!

Chikinlittle · #19 Posted **May 16, 2009, 4:19 AM**

The NBA is an entertaining franchise for sure. Having gone to the first ever exhibition and regular season games (that they won btw!) and many others afterwards, I can honestly say that it's a very energizing sport (and crowd) and I would definitely welcome them back and believe that they would survive, especially with a half-decent team, which Vancouver never had, save those first few games (in their record at least).

EastVanMark · #20 Posted **May 17, 2009, 9:15 PM**

The situation is far different now in Vancouver than it was when the Grizzlies departed. Back then, even the Canucks were losing money and on shaky financial ground. Today, the Canucks brand is at an all-time high and is a major economic force in the city. They could use that force to help prop up an NBA franchise as is the case in Toronto where the Maple Leafs success (outside the rink) helps prop up the Raptors and ensures their economic success. That all being said I agree that it might be wiser to wait at least until a few years after the Olympics to pursue the NBA again.

Also, people on here seem to give WAAAYYYY to much credit to the Indiana Pacers. They are not some storied franchise but rather a former ABA relic that has little success on the court (0 championships) or off of it (almost folded several times and is currently losing TONS of money). It also has almost no following outside of Indiana.

Finally, the chance of this being anything more than posturing from the Pacers camp in an attempt to garner a similar deal that the Indianapolis Colts got with their new stadium (the Colts got a $700 million stadium that sees the team pay $250,000 a year in rent and the city cover all operating costs). The city has gotten KILLED in this deal and has had to cut funds from public art projects to help with the financial burden. The Pacers want a similar deal and this is rumor helps give them leverage in negotiations